MBAg by Adam Erwin 11/5/09

My Banker, My BFF

Adam Erwin's BFF(Banker Friend Forever) has left, but he hopes to have as good a relationship with his new banker. (DTN graphic by Scott R Kemper) His banker put him on the plat book. Now Midwest farmer-columnist Adam Erwin worries how he'll play within the rules since his loan officer left for greener pastures.

Livestock Woes Raise Ag Bankers' Angst 11/17/09

Voluntary Livestock Liquidations on the Rise, Say Bankers

After months of losses, dairy and pork producers are living off their equity. Some will never recover even if prices rebound in 2010, cautions Bank of the West's Curt Covington. (DTN photo by Marcia Zarley Taylor) Dairy and pork producers have bled equity out of their herds and mortgaged a good portion of their assets. The price recovery in 2010 may come too late to restore some of the most leveraged operators to health, ag bankers warn.

"Don't Contract with the Easter Bunny" 11/19/09

What Ag Learned From Price Shock

Swings in fertilizer prices may force more dealers to insist on written contracts. (DTN photo by Greg Horstmeier) The abrupt crash in commodity and fertilizer markets this past year triggered a wave of bankruptcies and frayed partnerships. Handshakes won't be good enough next time, speakers at the National Agricultural Bankers Conference concluded this week.

Dryer Grants Available 3:54PM

Get Cash for Clunker Grain Dryers

Drying costs of high-efficiency systems like the one used by Mark Mueller of Waverly, Iowa, can pay for themselves in four years or less. (DTN photo by Elizabeth Williams) You could slash grain drying costs 30 percent or more by installing state-of-the-art systems, and USDA will pay up to 25 percent of the costs to replace your clunker.